Variable transmission mechanism



Aprif 27, 1937. g WALKER 2,078,822

VARIABLE TRANSMISSION MECHANISM Filed Jan 14, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 27, 1937. c. WALKER VARIABLE TRANSMISSION MECHANISM 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 14, 1936 I II I I I Snow b e a/Kel;

Patented Apr. 27, 1937 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE Claims.

My invention consists in new and useful improvements in a variable transmission mechanism particularly adapted for use in connection with registering devices of liquid dispensing pumps and the like, whereby the price per gallon, volume, and total cost of the liquid dispensed are indicated.

It is the primary object of my invention to provide a transmission mechanism of this type which will transmit the rotary movement of a driving member into a different rate of speed of a driven member, without in any way affecting the speed of rotation of said driving member.

Another object of my invention is to provide a mechanism of this character involving the principle of double eccentrics and sliding members for transmitting motion to a driven memher.

A further object is to provide means for selectively positioning one eccentric with respect to the other to regulate the rate of speed of said driven member.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel features herein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation, partly broken away, showing a liquid dispensing pump of the gasoline filling station type.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

In the drawings, l represents the housing of a conventional gasoline dispensing pump in which are located a pump proper 2, connected by pipe 3 to a gasoline supply tank, not shown. An electric motor 4 suitably connected to the pump 2 by means of a belt or the like 5, operates the latter to force the gasoline up through pipe 6 into a meter 1 and out through discharge pipe 8 into the sight gauge 9 and connected discharge hose I0.

Upon the passage of fluid through the meter from the inlet pipe 6 to the outlet line 8, a vertical shaft H is rotated by means of suitable mechanism in the meter, the specific structure of which forms no part of my invention, the extent of rotation of said shaft ll being commensurate with the volume of fluid being pumped. This shaft extends upwardly into operative connection with the transmission mechanism as will hereinafter appear.

Referring to Fig. 2, a series of registers A, B, and C for registering the price per gallon, the 10 total cost of gasoline dispensed, and the total volume of gasoline dispensed, respectively, are mounted on a suitable shaft l2, a windowW being provided in the front wall of the casing I immediately adjacent said registers as clearly shown in Fig. 1. These registers are of conventional structure, the register A being so arranged on shaft l2 that it Will rotate with the latter, while dials B and C are freely mounted on the shaft.

A short shaft l3 (Fig. 4) is provided adjacent shaft 12 and projects outwardly through the casing l, terminating in a crank handle H. Keyed to this shaft, I provide a suitable gear 14 adapted to mesh with a second gear A keyed to shaft l2, whereby upon turning the handle H, the price register A will also be rotated to set the same as will hereinafter appear. The rotation of registers B and C which are freely rotatable on shaft I2, is effected by gears B and C, respectively, connected to mechanism hereinafter described.

Gear A on shaft I2 is also in mesh with a second gear l5 keyed to a shaft l6 suitably journaled at one end in one side of the casing I (Fig. 3). The other end of shaft I6 is threaded to engage a complementary threaded opening in a journal box ll mounted thereon adjacent the gear 15, whereby upon rotation of the shaft E6, the journal box ll will be moved longitudinally along said shaft as will later appear.

Referring to Fig. 2, the upper end of the shaft H is provided with a bevel gear 18 adapted to mesh with a second bevel gear l9 keyed to a longitudinally extending shaft 20, whereby rotation .of the vertical shaft ll will be transmitted to the shaft 20. One end of this shaft is mounted in a suitable bearing 2| in one side wall of the casing I, the other end of the shaft terminating in a hollowed portion supported in a bearing 22 .on a bracket 23 mounted within the casing I. The hollowed portion of the shaft 20 is provided with a square opening adapted to receive the square end of a longitudinally movable shaft 20a as clearly shown in Fig. 6, whereby rotation of the shaft 29 will also rotate shaft 20a. The other end of shaft 28a terminates in a circular disc 24 retained in a complementary opening in journal box |1 (Fig. 3).

Adjacent the bevel gear I9, I provide a gear 25 also keyed to shaft 20 and adapted to mesh with a complementary gear 26 mounted on a short shaft 21 supported by the bracket 23. Gear 26 is also in mesh with gear C to rotate the volume register C.

Mounted on the hollowed portion of shaft 20 adjacent its end, and freely rotatable thereon, I provide a flanged transmission gear 28 adapted to mesh with gear B of the total cost register B. As clearly shown in Fig. 6, the inner periphery of the flange is provided with two rows of teeth 29.

The mechanism for rotating the transmission gear 28 includes a stationary frame 30 suitably mounted on the casing I adjacent the gear 28 and lying in a plane parallel to the latter. 3| designates a second frame slidably mounted within a rectangular opening in frame 30, the upper and lower edges of frame 3| terminating in a rib or ridge 32 adapted to cooperate with corresponding grooves in the upper and lower edges of frame 30 adjacent said rectangular opening. As clearly shown in Fig. 5, the width of frame 3| is considerably less than the rectangular opening in frame 38, whereby said second frame is longitudinally slldable within frame 30.

33 represents an auxiliary frame slidably mounted within a rectangular opening in frame 3|, the vertical dimension of said auxiliary frame being substantially less than said rectangular opening in frame 3|, whereby the former may be reciprocated vertically within frame 3|. As in the case of frame 3|, this auxiliary frame 33 also is provided with ribs or ridges along its vertical edges, adapted to cooperate with corresponding grooves along the inner edges of frame 3|.

Frame 33 is provided with an enlarged central circular opening adapted to receive a crescent-shaped disc 35, the inner periphery of said crescent disc slidably embracing a cam 36 provided on the outer end of the hollowed portion of shaft 28. Adjacent the inner periphery of disc 35, I provide a circular flange 31 having a series of teeth along its inner periphery to form a spur gear 38 meshing with a small pinion 39 mounted on shaft 28a adjacent the cam 36.

The periphery of shaft 28a is spirally grooved longitudinally thereof, forming spiral threads adapted to cooperate with corresponding grooves in the pinion 39, whereby upon the longitudinal movement of shaft 20a. through the medium of crank H, gears A and I5, threaded shaft I6 and journal box I1, pinion 39 will be rotated and in turn the disc 35 through the medium of its spur gear 38.

Adjacent the pinion 39 and partly surrounding the latter, I provide a flange 48 in the form of an incomplete circle, integral with the shaft 20 on the hollowed end thereof, the open part of the flange permitting the teeth on pinion 39 to mesh with the spur 38. The pinion 39 is retained in place on the shaft 20a adjacent the cam 36 by means of an annular disc 4| adapted to engage the outer face of the pinion. The annular disc is suitably secured to the flange 46 by means of screws 42 engaging complementary threads in drilled openings on the outer edge of the flange as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

The inner face of the longitudinally sliding frame 3| carries two parallel rack members 43 and 44 extending longitudinally from one side of said frame to the other and lying respectively above and below the hollowed portion of shaft 20 between the cam 36 and the closed face of the flange gear 28. The teeth on rack 43 are in mesh with a gear 45 mounted on one end of a hub 46 surrounding the shaft 29 adjacent the flanged gear 28, while the teeth on rack 44 are in mesh with a second gear 41 mounted on a hub 48 surrounding one end of hub 46. As clearly shown in Fig. 6, the teeth on the racks 43 and 44 are oppositely disposed with respect to their longitudinal center to facilitate their meshing with the gears 45 and 41.

Each of the hubs 46 and 48 carries an upwardly extending arm 49 and 50, respectively, terminating adjacent the inner periphery of the flange 28. The upper extremity of arm 49 is provided with a pivoted pawl 5| in line for engagement with one row of teeth on the inner periphery of the flange 28, while arm 58 is also provided with a similarly pivoted pawl 52 for engaging the other row of teeth on the flange. These pawls 5| and 52 are similar in every respect, and as shown in Fig. 5, arm 49 and pawl 5| lie immediately back of arm 50 and pawl 52. As therein shown, a suitable spring 53 normally holds pawl 52 in engagement with the teeth on the flange 28, a similar spring (not shown) being provided on pawl 5|.

It will thus be seen that with the pawls 5| and 52 pointing in the same direction, the longitudinal movement of frame 3| and supported racks 43 and 44, will rotate each of the gears 45 and 41 in opposite directions simultaneously, permitting one of the pawls to engage its adjacent row of teeth on the flange to rotate the latter, while the other pawl slips freely over the other row of teeth.

Having described the construction of my improved device, its operation is as follows:

Assuming that the price per gallon of gasoline is twenty cents, and that the price dial A as seen in the window W indicates zero, the position of crescent disc 35 with respect to cam 36 will be concentric with shaft 20, thereby counterbalancing the throw of the cam. The handle H is then turned in a counterclockwise direction until the dials A register twenty. Simultaneously with the setting of this register, rotation of the handle will rotate gear |5 keyed to shaft |6 in counterclockwise direction (Fig. 3), and by means of the screw threads on shaft l6 engaging complementary threads in the journal box I1, will cause the latter to move longitudinally away from gear l5. This will move the spirally grooved shaft 20a longitudinally into the hollowed square opening in shaft 20, and rotate pinion 39 in a counterclockwise direction. Rotation of this pinion will also rotate the crescent-shaped disc 35 in the same direction within the frame 33 through the medium of the flange 31 and spur gear 38, thus positioning the crescent disc about the cam 36 to regulate the relative position of the disc and. frame 33 with respect to the cam 36. The motor is then started to pump the gasoline through the meter 1, and as the liquid passes therethrough, shaft II will be rotated, in turn rotating shaft 20 through the medium of the bevel gears l8 and I9. Gear 25 keyed to shaft 20 will rotate therewith, and through the intermediate gear 26, will rotate gear C to run up on the volume dial C the amount of gasoline being dispensed.

Cam 36 on shaft 29 will rotate with the latter,

together with the shaft 20a, and through the medium of its pinion 39 meshing with the spur 38, the crescent disc 35 will also rotate within the frame 33. Assuming that the relative: positions: of the crescent disc and cam are as illustrated in Fig. 5, the first half rotation of the shaft 20 will cause frame 3| to move longitudinally to the right and the frame 33 to slide vertically downwardly within the former. The longitudinal movement of frame 3]! will transmit the same movement to the racks 43 and 44, and their engagement with the gears 45 and 41, respectively, will rotate the former in clockwise direction, and the latter in counterclockwise direction, permitting pawl 5| on arm 49 carried by the gear 45, to engage one row of teeth on the inner periphery of the flange 28 and rotating the latter in a clockwise direction, while pawl 52 will slip freely over the adjacent row of teeth on said flange.

The continued rotation. of the shaft 20 will move frame 33 upwardly, while frame 3! will be moved to the left, thus moving its racks 43 and 44 in the same direction, reversing the operation of the gears 45 and 41 above described, permitting pawl 52 to engage its adjacent row of teeth on the inner periphery of the flange 28, while allowing pawl 5! to slip over the adjacent row, yet rotating the flange 28 in the same clockwise direction.

Rotation of the flange 28 will also rotate gear B meshing with the teeth on the outer periphery of the flange, and run up on the cost dial B, the total cost of the gasoline dispensed.

The above operation is repeated until the total amount of gasoline desired is dispensed, at which time the motor will be turned off to stop the rotation of shaft II and shaft 20 together 'with the transmission mechanism.

It will thus be observed that I have designed a rotary shaft having a cam, and that by providing a second eccentric about said cam, the degree of eccentricity of the latter can be varied from zero to its maximum, and that by mounting the cam within longitudinally and vertically sliding frames, the eccentric movement of the shaft is transmitted into reciprocating -movement of the frames.

It will be further noted that by providing the frames with racks cooperating with suitable gears, the reciprocating movement of said frames will be transmitted into rotary movement of a driven element.

With this arrangement of eccentrics and sliding frames, I have provided a gasoline dispensing apparatus which is efficient in. operation and which permits the transmission mechanism for operating the cost dial, to be regulated by simply turning the handle H to whatever price the gasoline is sold, which will selectively position the crescent disc 35 about the cam 36 to regulate the degree of eccentricity of the latter and in turn the extent of longitudinal movement of the frame 3| with its racks 43 and 44.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction and advantages of my invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art without further description, it being borne in mind that numerous changes may be made in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention as set out in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A variable transmission mechanism comprising a rotary shaft, means for driving said shaft, a flanged transmission disc freely rotat-- able on said shaft, a series of teeth on the inner periphery of said flanged disc, a pinion. freely mounted on said shaft, a radially extending arm carried by said pinion, a pawl member carried by said arm for engagement with said flange teeth, a slidable frame adjacent said disc, a racl: carried by said frame in engagement with said pinion, eccentric means on said shaft for recip rocably sliding said frame and rack, and means for Varying the extent of reciprocation of said frame and rack and in turn the rotation of said flanged disc.

2. A variable transmission mechanism comprising a rotary shaft, means for driving said shaft, a

flanged transmission disc freely rotatable on said shaft, a series of teeth on the inner periphery of said flanged disc, at least two independent pinions freely mounted on said shaft, coaxial therewith, a radially extending arm carried by each of said pinions, pawl members carried by said arms for engagement with said flange teeth, a slidable frame adjacent said disc, a pair of oppositely disposed racks carried by said frame in engagement with the respective pinions for rotating each of said arms and in turn the transmission disc, eccentric means operated by the rotation of said shaft for reciprocably sliding said frame and racks, and means for regulating the extent of reciprocation of said frame and racks and in turn the rotation of said disc.

3. A variable transmission mechanism comprising a rotary shaft, means for driving said shaft, a flanged transmission disc freely rotatable on said shaft, a series of teeth on the inner periphery of said flanged disc, a pinion freely mounted on said shaft and coaxial therewith, a radially extending arm carried by said pinion, a pawl member carried by said arm for engagement with said flange teeth, a slidable frame adjacent said disc, a rack carried by said frame in engagement with said pinion, an auxiliary frame slidable within said first named frame in a direction perpendicular to the movement of the latter, eccentric means in engagement with said auxiliary frame and rotatable with said shaft for reciprocating said frame to operate said rack and in turn said arm and disc, and means for regulating the extent of reciprocation of said frames.

4. A variable transmission mechanism comprising a rotary shaft, means for driving said shaft, a flanged transmission disc freely rotatable on said shaft, a series of teeth on the inner periphery of said flanged disc, a pinion freely mounted on said shaft, a radially extending arm carried by said pinion, a pawl member carried by said arm for engagement with said flange teeth, a slidable frame adjacent said disc, a rack carried by said frame in engagement with said pinion, an auxiliary frame slidable within said first named frame in a direction perpendicular to the movement of the latter, a crescent-shaped member carried by said auxiliary frame, a cam member keyed to said shaft and embracing the inner periphery of said crescent-shaped member, and means for rotating said crescent-shaped member in said auxiliary frame to vary its relative position with respect to said cam and auxiliary frame, whereby said main frame and rack are given a reciprocating movement to rotate said arm and in turn said flanged disc.

5. A variable transmission mechanism comprising a rotary shaft, means for driving said shaft, a flanged transmission disc freely rotatable on said shaft, a series of teeth on the inner periphery of said flanged disc, a pair of independent pinions freely mounted on said shaft and coaxial therewith, a radially extending arm carried by each of said pinions, pawl members carried by said arms for engagement with said flange teeth, a slidable frame adjacent said disc, a pair of oppositely disposed racks carried by said frame in engagement with the respective pinions, an auxiliary frame slidable within said first named frame in a direction perpendicular to the movement of the latter, a crescent-shaped member carried by said auxiliary frame, a cam member keyed to said shaft and embracing the inner periphery of said crescent-shaped member, and means for rotating said crescent-shaped member in said auxiliary frame to vary its relative position with respect to said cam and auxiliary frame, whereby said main frame and racks are given a reciprocating movement to rotate said arms and in turn said flanged disc.

CHARLES WALKER. 

